EDIT: This article was originally posted in 2024 and has since been updated for the release of The Christophers.
Few filmmakers have matched the versatility and relentless output of Steven Soderbergh, a director who seems to thrive on constant reinvention. Already in 2025, he’s released his first-person POV horror film Presence (distributed by Neon), and in just a few weeks, he’ll return with Black Bag, a thriller boasting an intriguing premise and an all-star cast including Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, and Regé-Jean Page. Soderbergh moves at a pace few can match, delivering films across nearly every genre while continually experimenting with new techniques and storytelling methods.
Soderbergh’s career began with a bang in 1989 when sex, lies, and videotape won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, instantly establishing him as a major talent. Since then, he’s built a filmography that’s as daring as it is prolific – embracing studio blockbusters (Ocean’s Eleven), intimate indie dramas (Bubble), experimental thrillers (Kimi), and even self-imposed cinematic challenges (Unsane, shot entirely on an iPhone). At this point, he’s practically gamified filmmaking, constantly setting new creative hurdles just to see if he can clear them.
With Black Bag set to become his 36th feature (if you count Che as two films), now feels like the perfect time to reflect on his best work. Narrowing down his filmography to just 10 favorites is no easy feat, as nearly every one of his movies brings something fresh to the table. But after much consideration, these are the 10 best Steven Soderbergh movies.
15. Black Bag (2025)
Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag is a spy movie more interested in loyalty than gunfire. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett play married intelligence officers forced to wonder whether the other is a traitor, and David Koepp’s script lets the tension play out over dinner parties and polygraph tests.
14. No Sudden Move (2021)
13. Magic Mike (2012)
12. The Limey (1999)
11. Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023)
Channing Tatum suits up and strips down (possibly) one last time as struggling stripper Mike Lane in Magic Mike’s Last Dance. Combined with excellent camerawork by Steven Soderbergh and an impeccably volatile Salma Hayek, the crew says goodbye in a fitting fashion.
10. Contagion (2011)
9. Kimi (2022)
Kimi may be genre Soderbergh, but for him to pull this off only a year after No Sudden Move and stay operating during the COVID-19 pandemic is impressive. I’ve learned to just happily accept any Soderbergh projects and not take them for granted, and Kimi is another well above average outing from the director.
8. The Christophers (2026)
The Christophers may not rank among Steven Soderbergh’s defining achievements, but it reminded me why his baseline remains so much higher than almost everyone else’s. It’s sharp, funny, surprisingly heartfelt, and has more to say about artistry, legacy, and the people who profit from both than most films on the subject ever attempt. Calling it “just another Soderbergh movie” sounds dismissive, but in practice, that’s still one of the stronger endorsements I can give.
7. The Laundromat (2019)
6. Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)
Ocean’s Thirteen feels much more like a true follow-up to Ocean’s Eleven than Ocean’s Twelve ever did. The movie ditches the European setting and brings the action back to the Las Vegas Strip, restoring the energy and style that made the original such a slick, effortlessly cool heist film. With Steven Soderbergh once again at the helm and the nearly the entire star-studded cast returning – including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Andy García – the film settles comfortably into familiar territory. And while it doesn’t reinvent the formula, it delivers a fun, satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
5. Logan Lucky (2017)
4. Out of Sight (1998)
3. Erin Brockovich (2000)
2. sex, lies, and videotape (1989)
1. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Ocean’s Eleven might just be the coolest heist movie ever made. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and featuring one of the most effortlessly charismatic ensembles in film history – George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia – it’s a masterclass in smooth, stylish entertainment. Decades later, it remains endlessly rewatchable, a perfect blend of clever plotting, sharp dialogue, and pure Hollywood star power.
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